VOLUNTEERING INFRASTRUCTURE

National targets and reporting arrangements for volunteeringThere are no quantitative targets in relation to volunteering in Finland. However, theCommittee to enhance cooperation between civil society and public administration (KANE)had a few qualitative targets in relation to volunteering, including the taxation of non-profitorganisations; public procurement and service delivery by non-profit organisations, voluntaryorganisations, volunteers and disadvantaged groups; needs and challenges faced by voluntaryorganisations; and the financial situation of non-profit organisations.ProgrammesKey national programmes that stimulate volunteering at national levelVolunteer brokerage services and sector specific umbrella organisations, such as the FinnishSports Federation, Allianssi, Kansalaisareena, help to promote volunteering.A new national brokerage portal, www.vapaaehtoiseksi.fi, was designed tofunction as a national brokerage platform between organisations lookingfor volunteers and individuals interested in volunteering. The Finnish SlotMachine Association (RAY) 1 , which is the main funder of social and healthcare associations 2 , did get the funding for developing the portal to theFinnish Centre for Health Promotion (and SOTSE, the Finnish Society forSocial Welfare and Health in 2012). However, the portal is not functioning.Kansalaisareena - TheCitizen Forum - is runningpreparatory programmesbetween 2007 and 2012to introduce a horizontal,national strategy forvolunteering.The Citizen Forum (Kansalaisareena) is running preparatory programmesbetween 2007 and 2012 to introduce a horizontal, national strategy for volunteering. At themoment most of the development work takes place within sectors. However, the aim is todevelop joined-up, national level co-operation in the field of volunteering that aims to benefitthe sector as a whole, and not only volunteering in certain sectors.The preparatory programmes will continue with strategy programmes for volunteering between2012 and 2015. They will continue to be led by the Citizen Forum with key partners. The overallaim is to involve grass-root level voluntary organisations in the planning and developmentof volunteering in the country, and thereby improve the foundation and the infrastructure ofvolunteering. The programmes aim to cover networking; brokerage services; awareness raising;the image of volunteering; legislation; co-operation between municipalities, companies andvoluntary organisations; boundaries between voluntary and professional paid work; goodpractices in volunteering; information and data on volunteering; and the impact and value ofvolunteering.Key transnational programmes that stimulate volunteering at transnational levelAllianssi Youth Exchanges is a youth exchange agency providing young Finns opportunities towork abroad. Every year around one thousand young Finns volunteer abroad and around 100international volunteers come to volunteer in Finland.The Finnish Volunteer Programme (ETVO) is a volunteering programme led by The ServiceCentre for Development Cooperation (KEPA). It channels volunteers to non-governmental1. https://www.ray.fi/en/ray2. (The Finnish Slot Machine Association has a monopoly on money raised through gambling games in Finland. The Finnish Government will distributeMEUR 291 of RAY profits as grants to health and social welfare non-profit organisations in 2012).124 Volunteering infrastructure in Europe 9 Finland